EPA Awards More Than $31,000 to American Lung Association to Educate Children, Health Care Providers on Asthma Management in 3 Arizona Counties

(10/16/12) SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently announced it will award $31,482 to the American Lung Association of the Southwest (ALA SW) to work in Apache, Coconino and Navajo Counties, Ariz. to educate children with asthma and their caregivers on the importance of controlling indoor environmental asthma triggers.

With this funding, ALA SW will provide indoor environmental asthma trigger training to children and their caregivers, as well as health care professionals. This funding will also provide for the implementation of the ALA's Open Airways for Schools program, for the education of children and of their parents.

“EPA is proud to be working with our awardees across the nation to improve the air we breathe at school, work and home,” said Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. “American communities face serious health and environmental challenges from air pollution. This effort gives us an opportunity to improve indoor air quality by increasing awareness of environmental health risks.”

Today’s funding is part of a combined $1.2 million in funding to 32 state and local governments, tribes, and non-profit organizations to improve indoor air quality, which will better protect the health of Americans in classrooms, communities and homes across the country.

Education projects, training and outreach efforts supported by the funding will help reduce the environmental health risks of indoor air contaminants such as radon and asthma triggers. From organizing and training speakers on how to educate parents of children with asthma, to providing technical assistance that will help school districts develop indoor air quality management plans, these projects will help protect children and families. EPA emphasized selecting projects that assist low income and minority families that are disproportionately impacted by poor indoor air quality.

Indoor air pollutants in homes, buildings, and schools can negatively impact the health of occupants. Some pollutants cause health problems such as sore eyes, burning in the nose and throat, headaches or fatigue. Others can worsen allergies or cause respiratory illnesses (such as asthma).

October is Children’s Health Month. EPA’s mission to protect human health and the environment requires us to continue to pay special attention to the vulnerabilities of children, and especially to children living in disadvantaged communities.